Shoe last



pr. 179 lE923.

W. E. DENTTEN SHOE LAST Filed March 4, 1922 VHA/MMA attorno.

Patented Apr. 17, 1923.

`unirse STATES PA'rsmi.oFFics.,y

WALTER E. DENTTEN, or MILWAUKEE, wisconsin.

sHoE LAST.

Application filed March 4, 1922. Serial No. 541,189.

T o all wlw/m, it may concern n Be it known that I, WALTER E. DENTTEN,

va citizen of the United States of America,

the following lis a full, clear, concise, andv exact description of the invention, such as will ena-ble others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make'and use the same.

This invention yrelates tol improvements in shoe lasts, having for an object to provide an attachment for shoe lasts whereby the rearward or that portion of a shoe upper adjacent the heel piece will be firmly connected to the heel portion of the last upon arrangement of such upper thereon, thus retaining the upper in fixed positio-n upon the last during work thereupon. v

It is well'kn'own in theart that in arranging shoe uppers upon lasts, preparatory to assembly, it is vnecessary that the worker drivea tack through that portion of the upper adjacent its heel piece into the last in order that displacement or undue mo-vement of the upper with relation to the last will be prevented. When the work upon the upper is complete, this tack is removed, but there remains in the shoe upper the hole made byl the same. In my invention, means areprovided for releasably anchoring the upper to the shoe last without the necessity of marking the former' as by driving tacks therethrough.

Other objects of the `invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In order that the invention and'its mode c of; operation maybe readily understood by persons skilled in the art, I have in the accompanying illustrative drawings and in the detailed following description based thereon, set out one possible embodiment of the same. i

LInv these drawings: i. Figure l is a side elevation of the'improved last, apart thereof being broken away and shown f in section;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a last fitted with the improved attachment, the lastbeing` in its open position;

igure 3 is a rear elevation of the last;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the relation of the forward end of the catch in the heel section of the last with relation to `the inner end ofthe toe section thereof; and, y f Figure 5 is a `detail in elevation of the type of catch` employedtogether with the spring means for normally retaining the same in its distended position. y

Having more particular reference to the drawings, .in connection` with which like characters of reference will designate corresponding parts throughout, I have illustratedffor: the purpose of convenience, the

invention as appliedlto thatI type of last including hingedly connected toe and heel sections 1 and 2 respectively, the hinged connection being effected as indicated at 3, while the inner end of the heel section 2 is provided withy a cut away portion which with closing of the last'receives van'extension or projecting portion arranged upontheinner endof'the toe section l, as clearly shown in theFigurel. f

A longitudinal way is formed in the lower portionk of the heel portion 2 and as will be noted, i has arranged between the forward or inner ends of the same, a second way or seat indicated for the purpose of convenience by the numeral4.`

l Slidably received in the longitudinal way in the lower portion of theheel section 2 are the opposite sidel or legy portions of a substantially `U-shaped catch 5, it being'noted that the basal portion of said catch is curved upon itself and normally extended from the inner end'of the heelsection 2, whereby it may be engaged by the inner end of the projecting portion arranged or carried upon the inner end 'oftheitoesection l in the manner as Aillustrated in the Figures 2 and li. In order that the basal portion of the U-shaped rcatchy 5 will be normally arranged in its distendedfpositi'on withrelation to the inner end of the heel section y2, I may and preferably do provide in the enlarged pocket el between yand communicating with the way receiving the opposite sides of said catch, an

expansible coiled spring 6, one end of said.`

spring bearing upon the rearward wall of the pocket :4f while the opposite end portion `ofthe vsame is engaged overa lboss 7 arranged intermediately of and uponr the inner side ofthe basal portion of the Vcatch-5 vas shown in the Figure 5. Becauseof this positioning of the expansible' coiled spring 6,3 it willbe readily understood that an inward thrust will be normally imparted to the catch 5 and in consequence, that the downwardly upon its hinged connection to the position as shown in the Figure l, the projecting portion upon its innerend will engage and impart ,ani outwardr thrust to the basal portion of the U-shaped catch 5,

' thus moving the tree ends oi' said catch to positions 'whereat they will be extended from the adjacent outer end portion of the heel sectonQ as also `shown inthe Figure l.A Because of the, linterpositioning of the f expansible coiled spring G, although, it will be understood that with swinging of the'toe section l to its open or uppermost position, the free extremities of the U-shaped` catch 5 will be immediately retracted and the -basal .portion thereof movedv to distended and 2 thereof, whereupon said sections will position as shown in the Figure 2 with relation to the inner end of said heel section 2.

ln using the improved last, an upper is arranged over the toeand heel sections 1 be moved to their closed positions as shown in the Figure l. With closing of the shoe last sections, the projecting portion upon the inner end ott the toe 'section 1 will impart an outward thrust to the spring pressed U-shaped catch 5, thus causing thel free or outer ends of said catch to be moved outwardly from the outer end portions of the heel section 2 into engagement with those portions of the shoe upper in proximity to the heel seat of the same. By reason ofthe engagement of the free, ends of the U-shapcd catch 5 with the heel portion of the upper arranged upon the last, it will be underv stood that the same will be firmly anchored in its position upon the lastandV will be prevented from having undue `shifting, movement or displacement during work thereupon. Then work rupon thev upper is completedfthe same may be then moved from the last and the sections permitted to .move to their relatively open positions,

whereupon the 'free ends of the Ueshaped catch 5 will be immediately moved to their retracted positions. ABecause ofl the Ablunt formation of the free ends ofthe catch 5, it will be understood that marking or mutilating of the shoe upper will have been' prevented and yet, the saine will have been vafforded a positive means for anchoring it in position upon the shoelast during Work thereon. i y

Manii'estly, the construction shown is capable of considerable modification and such moditication as is within the scope of my claims, I consider` within the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

l. lIn combination with a shoe last including relatively adjustable toe and heel *sec* tions, the `heel section having a longitudinal way `formed in its lower portion, anda catch of a `length greater than the heel section slidable insaid wayhaving its inner end normally extended beyond theji-nne'r end ofy the lheel section adapted to have abutting engagement with 1an adjacent.'portionv of the toe section, as and Afor the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with a shoe last includ# ingrelatively adjustable toewand heel sections,y theheel section having a longitudinal. way formed in its lower portion, a catch slidable in said way being ot a length greater than the length of the heel section and having its inner end normally extended beyond the. inner end of the heel section adapted to have abutting engagement with an adjacent Aportion 'ot the toe sectionpand spring means connected to the inner end ot said catch 'for removably retaining said inner end in extended position.` y

in combination `witha shoe last includingrelatively adjustable toe andheel vsections, the heel section having `a longitudinal waytormed in its lower portionand a vsubstantially U-shaped catch oi a length greater than the length of the `heel piece having the opposite side thereofslidably ,in

said way and its inner basal portion nor` mally extended beyond the innerend-'of the heel piece adapted to yhave abutting engage ment with an adjacentportionV of the toe section, as and for the purpose set forth.

4.*In combination with a shoe last including hingedly connecting ltoe and heel sections, said heel section having a longitudinal way formed in its lower portion, `a substantially U-shaped catch greater than the length of the heel section having its opposite side portions freely slid able in said longitudinal ways, the inner or basal portion of'said lil-shaped catch bein-g normally extended beyond the innerend .of the heel section and adapted to lbe abuttingly engaged by an adjacent portion of the inner endo said toe section, and spring means for normally retaining saidv Vbasal portion in its extended position.

Vln' witness whereof l have hereunto set my hand.

'lV-ALTER E. DENTTEN.

of `a length 

